The Superstition of Safety: A Multimodal Approach to Understanding Trauma

Abstract

Reviews the book, Healing Crisis and Trauma With Mind, Body, and Spirit by Barbara Rubin Wainrib (see record 2006-05798-000). In this book, the author promises in the preface that she will provide people in the healing professions with training methods and intervention techniques (p. xi) that emphasize a strengths perspective (p. xii). But, it is not until the 8th of 12 chapters (“Trauma and the Body”) that she seems to offer specific information (e.g., how to conduct progressive muscle relaxation, how to engage in diaphragmatic breathing) that therapists can apply in their work with trauma survivors. Much of the book instead seems to rely on descriptions (e.g., presentations of the author's personal and clinical experiences, definitions of constructs) rather than instructions. Overall, the premise of Healing Crisis and Trauma is a good one, and an integrated critique of empirical findings and/or a practical guide (as the author promised) regarding how to implement multidimensional treatment modalities that incorporate the mind, body, and spirit would have provided a unique contribution to the literature and an invaluable guide to therapists and researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)